Creamy Garlic Chicken Tortellini (Printable Version)
Chicken and cheese tortellini in a luscious garlic cream sauce with fresh spinach, ready in 40 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Protein
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-size pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 18 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
→ Vegetables
03 - 3 cups fresh baby spinach
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy & Pantry Staples
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
12 - Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
13 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
14 - Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
02 - While the tortellini cooks, toss the diced chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning until evenly coated. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until deeply golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
03 - In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.
04 - Pour the chicken broth into the skillet to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to medium.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
06 - Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and gently fold it into the sauce until wilted, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Return the seared chicken to the skillet along with the drained tortellini. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated in the creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like something you would order at a cozy Italian restaurant except you made it in your pajama pants with one skillet and a pot.
- The sauce comes together in the same pan you cooked the chicken in so every golden brown bit gets folded right back into the finish.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the garlic cooks because thirty seconds of distraction turns fragrant golden into bitter and burnt, and that flavor will haunt the entire sauce.
- Letting the cream come to a gentle bubble rather than a full boil keeps it smooth and prevents it from breaking or turning greasy on you.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel before seasoning them because moisture is the enemy of a good golden sear.
- Grate your Parmesan as finely as possible off the block so it melts smoothly into the cream without leaving stringy clumps behind.